Fox Sighting in the Middle of the Night by Joan Leotta

My own sneeze woke me up,
a restless mind, scratchy throat
kept me from returning to sleep.

Pulled on my black velvet robe
then wrapped my neck in a red
fleece scarf for added warmth.

Downstairs, as I waited for my
tea to heat I heard yip, yip
from the street below.

At the kitchen window,
in the streetlight’s glow
I saw fox prints on fresh snow,

leading to our hedge and
a pair of bright eyes over a
narrow nose peered up at me.

I waved my scarf
toward the small face
in the hedge.

A rustling noise then fox
darted out of the hedge, his
bushy red tail waving back at me.



Joan Leotta plays with words on page and stage. She’s been published as an essayist, poet, short story writer, novelist, and a two-time nominee for the Pushcart and Best of the Net. Her poetry, essays, and stories have appeared in many journals in the US and abroad, including Lothlorien Poetry Journal, Impspired, Red Eft Review, One Art, Gargoyle, Verse Virtual, and Storyteller Poetry Review. She performs folktale programs that often highlight her heritage, food, family, and strong women, and offers the one-woman show, “Meet Louisa May Alcott, Author, Nurse, and Writer.” Her email is joanleotta@gmail.com